On Tuesday May 10th, several Shaker High School history classes were given the opportunity to view a presentation from Moldovan Parliament members followed by a question and аnswer segment about the country. Moldova is a former state under the Soviet Republic in Eastern Europe or, “a small country with a big heart,” as it is called by Parliament member Lidia Sanduleac. It is known for its high-achieving dancers, artistic rugs, and wine production. 

Lidia Sanduleac, Aurica Jardan, and other delegates proudly discussed many aspects of Moldovan life and government with the students, one recurring topic being their progress as a country. Students were especially interested in the impact of the environment in Moldova. The delegates spoke proudly of the environmental consciousness present in Moldova, praising the normalcy of sustainable food and young people’s interest in climate change. The delegates also discussed the progress Moldova has made with gender equality, with having a female Moldovan president and  prime minister, and having a strong portion of female parliament members.

However, more serious topics were discussed, such as the war in Europe and what that means for Moldova. The delegates talked about the invasion, its proximity to Ukraine, and how Moldovan officials are handling the conflict. The people of Moldova have conflicting feelings on the invasion a reported that 40% of Moldovans felt that Russia is unjustified in their actions against Ukraine. But regardless of their feelings on the invasion, there is an overwhelming support of peace in Europe among Moldovan people. Moldova is a small country with only about 2.5 million people, but they have taken in over 500,000 refugees from Ukraine.

After the Question and Answer session, a few Shaker student representatives for The Shaker Bison, Model UN, and Student Government were able to speak to the delegates less formally. The representatives were given the opportunity to ask for information about Moldova that would better their clubs. 

The Shaker Bison was able to talk with Lidia Sanduleac and Aurica Jardan on the education systems in Moldova in comparison to America. When asked, both Sanduleac and Jardan said that they saw a difference between the formality of Moldovan schools and American schools. Both women noted that American students had more freedom to express themselves than their Moldovan counterparts, and American students maintained closer relationships with their teachers. When asked about their beliefs on choice of study and vocational schools in Moldova, Sanduleac and Jardan shared that they believed Moldova needed more choice of study. Lidia Sanduleac recounted how she had obtained three degrees in higher education before she knew what she wanted to do for a career. But, despite the differences, American students and Moldovan students are connected in their eagerness to learn new things; Lidia Sandulec expressed, “Curiosity and passion for learning carry over.”

The conference took place on May 10th 2022 and was attended by district staff and building principals along with Shaker High School students.